Minister of Higher Education and Water Resources Zeev Elkin (Likud) announced tonight (Wednesday) that he has resigned as minister and announced his joining Gideon Saar’s party – “New Hope”. Saar congratulated Elkin and announced that he would serve as his deputy, but in the Likud the reactions were harsh.
“Water Minister Elkin skipped ahead of the Likud and Likud to Gideon only because he failed to enter the Likud’s top ten and did not get the job he wanted. Gideon’s party is a refugee camp and defectors who failed in the democratic elections within the Likud and cannot be elected. “Gideon has no government without Lapid and the left,” the Likud said.
The Speaker of the Knesset, MK Yariv Levin, also referred to Elkin’s statement and said: “I was very surprised by Minister Zeev Elkin’s remarks. “As a partner without a few negotiations, Minister Elkin also knows very well that no matter concerning the personal immunity of the prime minister has ever been a condition in any coalition negotiations.”
“Unfortunately, it is Minister Elkin who prefers personal consideration over loyalty to the road,” Levin said, adding: “Instead of strengthening the Likud’s demand for fundamental changes in the justice system, he validates this demand and joins those who seek to perpetuate the serious shortcomings While politicians change parties according to personal and short-term interests, Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to lead Israel to historic and unprecedented achievements with the signing of four peace agreements, halting Iran, maintaining security and placing Israel at the head of countries receiving vaccines and emerging from the corona crisis. The Likud movement is strong and through it, under the leadership of the prime minister, it will win the election. “
Elkin, if you were not jumping for another party, would you still be giving the “I can no longer” speech? And I have a tip for you, do not wait for the Likudniks you called them to come, they despise serial party changers.
– Ofir Katz Ofir Katz (@OfirKatzMK) December 23, 2020
What a beauty that all the snakes are coming out of the holes, and the Likud is cleansing itself of all the non-ideological opportunists who have taken a ride, solely for the job. (Elkin jumped ahead of the Likud, and is now a member of Saar’s dictatorial party).
– Yair Netanyahu (@YairNetanyahu) December 23, 2020
“These days I am only engaged in the struggle for the vaccination of all Israeli citizens and their health in general.
The Likud is a right-wing, ideological and rooted right-wing party, “Health Minister Yuli Edelstein responded, adding:” The Likud is home and I will not leave it. I have great, dedicated and amazing friends in the Likud who chose me for first place in the primaries. I love them and stay with them and with all the movement. We will win together and lead the next government as well! “
Miri Regev: “I was sorry to hear the words of Zeev Elkin, who slandered the prime minister and the Likud, from whom he drew his power all these years. The Likud is the People’s Party. A rooted and strong party. With God’s help, we will win this time too!”
MK Shlomo Qarai: “Elkin, where have you been so far? For two years we shed blood together to bring about the Likud’s victory. Two years, in which everything you said about Netanyahu today was said by our opponent. “Together with us, you attacked them for lying, for lying, for distorting things.”
“How painful it is to see good people throw away values, friendship and loyalty for a more comfortable, unrivaled chair, in ideological guise. But, big ideas do not collapse because of small deeds. The Likud, like the Likud, will continue without it to gain the trust of the people “Israel. Under Netanyahu, we will continue to lead Israel to great achievements in all areas. With all its might in Gaza,” he added.
Blue and white also criticized Elkin’s move:
If there was no trial – there was a budget and without blue and white in the government there would be no trial.
Blue and white defended democracy in the government, and will continue to do so in the future against anti-liberal parties that seek to harm the court, leading to a bi-national state and the closure of supermarkets on Saturday – just like the party Elkin joined.
– Blue and white (@ Kachollavan19) December 23, 2020
On the part of the leftists as well, the reactions were not quite encouraging, and the chairman of Meretz harshly criticized the move:
For years these people, like Elkin, trained every creeper and explained every dirty whim of Bibi. And suddenly they confess that everything was rotten and shabby?
That means they lied to the public for years. Why believe them now that they have discovered the light? If you were a partner in all this evil, then go home.– Nitzan Horowitz Nitzan Horowitz Nitzan Horowitz (@NitzanHorowitz) December 23, 2020